BV25-34 Château de la Reine Blanche

Situated in the middle of the Chantilly forest is a beautiful little château at the end of a series of long ponds. Originally built in the 13th century and later renovated, the Château de la Reine Blanche is eye-catching for both its design and its scale. Right next to it you’ll even find a crêperie, making it a perfect cycling destination.

To get there, this route leaves Paris along the Canal de l'Ourcq for the first 30 km. The beginning sections of the canal path can get a little busy with people, but in the mornings it’s usually not too bad. After the canal, you wind your way through farmland and small villages on the approach to the forest. Around the 60 km mark, you enter the Forêt d'Ermenonville and then continue into the Forêt de Chantilly. There are some fantastic stretches of road here as you make your way to the château and that well-earned mid-ride snack at 80 km.

From there, the route continues past the château for another 10 km before turning south and looping back toward Paris. You’ll cross more farmland on fast, open roads as you near the edge of the city. Unfortunately, Paris sprawls far to the northwest, so the return includes about 20 km of urban riding to finish things off. After so much peaceful seclusion in the forest, diving back into city traffic can be a bit of a shock—but that’s part of the trade-off when cycling out of Paris.

This loop is on the longer side, but it’s quite flat, and a mid-ride crêpe with cider will power you through. If you’d prefer a shorter version—and to avoid the city return—you could always catch the train back but I think the loop makes for a great day out on the bike.

GPX File